The invention pertains to the field of blowers mounted on self-propelled vehicles. More particularly, the invention pertains to a blower unit mounted on a self-propelled vehicle or trailer pulled by a vehicle suitable for use on a golf course.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,670 (Benson), a mobile unit suitable for use on a golf course for treating soil is disclosed. A blower is mounted on the mobile unit, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of Benson, with the blower shaft horizontal and the blower housing and impeller lying along the vertical plane. Such blowers are typically driven by either a gasoline motor or an electric motor. Gasoline motors make exhaust noise while electric motors need to be run using an extension cord from a commercial power source or from a battery or bank of batteries that need frequent recharging. The blower discharge pipe and blower inlet pipe face in different directions, and neither direction is necessarily the same direction as the exhaust duct of the gasoline motor. A problem arises when operating the blower while the golf course is used by golfers, since the noise disturbs the enjoyment of the golfers.
An apparatus mounted on a trailer is used to connect to an underground pipe array such as is installed under a golf course. The apparatus includes a vertical shaft blower unit with an impeller rotating in a horizontal plane. An engine mounted on the blower unit has a vertical engine shaft connected to the vertical shaft of the blower unit. An inlet duct of the blower unit is located below a discharge duct of the blower unit. The inlet duct and discharge duct are oriented in the same direction, and when the engine is a gasoline engine having an exhaust muffler, the exhaust muffler is oriented in the same direction as the inlet and discharge ducts. Since all the noise discharge points of the apparatus are pointed in the same direction, the trailer can be turned so that the noise generated during operation of the apparatus is directed away from players on the golf course. A water separator is preferably connected between the inlet duct and the impeller. In addition, a frame is connected to either the blower unit or the trailer for easy stowage of the flexible hose used to connect the blower unit to the underground pipe array.
According to an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus mounted on a trailer includes a blower unit having a vertical shaft, an impeller of the blower unit rotating in a horizontal plane, an engine mounted on the blower unit having a vertical engine shaft connected to the vertical shaft of the blower unit, and an inlet duct of the blower unit being below a discharge duct of the blower unit.
According to an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus mounted on a trailer includes a blower unit having a vertical shaft, an impeller of the blower unit rotating in a horizontal plane, an engine mounted on the blower unit having a vertical engine shaft connected to the vertical shaft of the blower unit, an inlet duct of the blower unit being below a discharge duct of the blower unit, wherein the inlet duct and the discharge duct are oriented in a same direction, and wherein the engine has an exhaust muffler and the exhaust muffler is oriented in the same direction as the inlet duct and the discharge duct.